Spirit of the Valley by Jane Shoup Read Free Book Online Page A

Cessie explained. “Wonderful wine. The wine that we had this evening, that was his.”
    â€œThe point is,” April May interrupted, looking at Pauline, “the only personal thing Lionel ever talked about was his daughter, Elizabeth.”
    â€œElizabeth Anne Greenway,” Cessie said dreamily. “It sounds like poetry. Doesn’t it?”
    Pauline still had no idea what they were getting at. Perhaps it should have been apparent and fatigue was making her brain soft.
    April May leaned forward. “Here’s the thing, and I’ll just cut right to the point. He made her up after he overheard some folks in town talking about him.”
    Pauline blinked. “He made her up?”
    â€œInvented her,” Cessie said. “Because of how folks were talking about him. They called him a hermit, said he’d never known love. Which was certainly not true.”
    â€œSo,” April May said, “he started talking about Lizzie. That’s what he called her. He said his wife’s name had been Cecelia and that she’d died giving birth to their child.” She paused. “He couldn’t win for losing because then folks started saying he was probably making her up, being the strange old bird that he was, which made him even more an object of ridicule.”
    Pauline felt saddened by the thought of a man fabricating a daughter to make him more acceptable to people who would never accept him.
    Cessie suddenly looked close to laughter. “Until one day at the church picnic, the subject comes up and April May ups and claims we met her.”
    April May snorted. “People running their mouths again. I just thought I’d shut ’em up for a little while.” She wagged a finger at Cessie. “But don’t you dare say April May, like you didn’t jump right in.”
    Cessie chuckled with delight at the memory. “Oh, we did have fun with it.”
    â€œLet me tell you, Pauline,” April May said, “Lionel got the biggest kick out of that.”
    Cessie agreed. “He had us repeat the story over and over again.” She looked far away and then she sobered. “The truth is, in the end, Lionel didn’t have anyone but us in the world. And we didn’t need the place.”
    â€œAlthough he offered,” April May said tenderly to her sister.
    â€œYes, he did,” Cessie said. “One day, drinking wine and having a fine time, he came up with the idea of leaving everything to his daughter. I thought he was teasing at first, but he got more and more set on the idea. If we didn’t want the place, he said, it would just sit there and wait for Lizzie to come claim it.”
    Pauline experienced a shiver.
    â€œAdmittedly, it’s no great fortune, but—”
    â€œIt’s probably eight or ten or even twelve acres of land and a right nice cottage,” April May said. “Now, the place is a bit strange by ordinary standards, but it’s pretty. Or it was. Restful. He designed it and had it built. Of course, it’s been a while with no care, but it would be a place to start over for you and the children.”
    Pauline sat back, stunned at what they were suggesting.
    â€œSo, you see, dear?” Cessie said with a twinkle to her eye. “You didn’t come here for no reason. The good Lord led you here. Right into our care. It was meant to be.”
    Pauline’s eyes filled and she swallowed hard. Was it possible? Was it really possible?
    April May frowned as a thought occurred to her. “Pauline, when you were in town, did you tell anyone your name?”
    Pauline thought about it and then shook her head. “No.”
    â€œWe love Fiona dearly, but she’s got a mouth on her. So does her mother. A good heart, but a big mouth.”
    â€œNo,” Pauline said again, more certain as she thought about it. “I asked if there was a room, and she said no. That I should try